No Nest for the Wicket (A Meg Langslow Mystery) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ Donna Andrews (Author)
Key Phrases: croquet field, croquet mallet, outlet mall, Chief Burke, Rose Noire, Evan Briggs (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An all-too-competitive game of "eXtreme croquet" set in an obstacle-ridden cow and sheep pasture in Caerphilly, Va., leads to murder in Agatha-winner Andrews's goofy seventh Meg Langslow mystery (after 2005's Owls Well That Ends Well). When Meg chases an errant shot into a gully, she discovers the fresh corpse of a woman with her head bashed in. The victim appears to have been done in with a croquet mallet—or was it a sledgehammer? Meg starts with a long list of suspects involved in a local campaign against developers who hope to transform the bucolic pasture area into an outlet mall. When the body is identified as Lindsay Tyler, a beautiful, manipulative former history professor with a checkered career and erstwhile romantic ties to Meg's fiancé, Michael, the connections and motives multiply, bogging down the action. Still, the author's sense of fun and a lively, charming cast will please most cozy fans. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“Fun, lively, charming.”

—Publishers Weekly

 

 “If you long for more `fun’ mysteries, a la Janet Evanovich, you’ll love Donna Andrews’s Meg Langslow series.”
—The Charlotte Observer
 

“Andrews strikes just the right balance between comedy and suspense to keep the reader laughing and on the edge of one’s seat....Fans of this series will no doubt enjoy this installment, while new readers...will be headed to the bookstore for the earlier books.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4 stars)
 
“Any day when I start reading about Meg is cause for delight. Ending the book makes me yearn for more than one per year. Hint.”

—Deadly Pleasures
 
“As usual, Andrews is a reliable source for those who like their murder with plenty of mayhem.”
—Kirkus Reviews

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks; X edition (June 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312997914
• ISBN-13: 978-0312997915
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #185,087 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 7 in The Meg Langslow Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved the live wickets, August 25, 2006

By	Bobbrun "lvsamystry" (OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Nest for the Wicket (Meg Lanslow Mysteries) (Hardcover)

As usual, I got some good chuckles....love croquet, and now have a hankering to play X-treme croquet. The storyline actually rates 5 stars, but....and I continue to flog this pet peeve to death...who is doing the proofreading? It has to be a gaggle of first graders! On page 256, line 9, can anyone interpret this sentence?..."How big does do we need for one little duck?"
Most of the errors were just spelling, an extra letter here, not enough letters there, but, sentences like the one in quotes sure makes one slam on the brakes and release the cruise control.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very funny and enjoyable mystery, September 4, 2006

By	booksforabuck "BooksForABuck.com" (Dallas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: No Nest for the Wicket (Meg Lanslow Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Blacksmith Meg Langslow learns exactly how dangerous a game of eXtreme Croquet can get when she follows her roqueted ball into a bog--where she finds a dead woman. It turns out that the dead woman was a bit of a trouble-maker, as well as a former girlfriend of Meg's fiance, Michael. All of the croquet players deny knowing anything about her, but the truth gradually comes out. With the fate of what might become the country's largest outlet mall (in Meg's back yard, of all places) involved, the stakes are high. Could it be members of the historical society? Or perhaps the developer? Then again, surely it isn't Michael--despite ending the relationship on a negative note.

The local sheriff isn't much interested in Meg's help, but she can't stop herself. She talks with the locals (including the family working on restoring the farmhouse where she hopes, eventually to live and from which the workmen had a great view of the croquet game) and starts trying to narrow down the suspect list. Unfortunately, the list seems to keep growing.

Author Donna Andrews combines charming characters with an intriguing story in a truly enjoyable mystery. Meg might be a bit odd in her own right, but she's definitely the normal one in her family--and her family is at the croquet match in full force. Her doctor-father's not-so-secret wish to be a forensic scientist comes into play, as does her mother's constant planning, her cousin's herbal druidry (or is it dryadry), her brother's computer incompetence (you'd think that would be a problem considering he's President of a computer game company), all play important roles.

Between late-night sheep shearing, Spike-the-dog's bad habits, and the egg-laying scheming of Duck the duck, I found myself chuckling through this entertaining story. I'm happy to recommend NO NEST FOR THE WICKET--great title, too.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, but not on Par with the Last Couple, September 16, 2006

By	Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: No Nest for the Wicket (Meg Lanslow Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Meg's family is hosting an eXtreme croquet tournament near Meg's house, and Meg has gotten roped into playing. Not that she hates it, but the sport is a little wild for her tastes.

After Meg's ball gets roqueted into a gully, Meg finds a dead body. While the woman had obviously been hit by a croquet mallet, she wasn't playing in the tournament. In fact, Meg and the other contestants have no idea who she is.

It's Michael who makes the identification. The victim used to be a professor at the local college and had made quite a few enemies in town. What was she doing back in the area? And who knew about it and wanted to kill her?

This series has become a favorite because of the great plots and the laugh out loud moments. Unfortunately, this entry doesn't live up to the last couple. Mainly, it was because the book wasn't as funny as it could have been. Much of the humor has been done before and better in the earlier books. Not that this book isn't enjoyable. I still found myself laughing and smiling, just not as much as previously.

Fortunately, the plot is very engaging. There are several twists and plenty of red herrings before the final solution is revealed. I did feel the climax was a bit abrupt, but it was logical.

The returning characters are their usual charming selves. It's always a pleasure to spend time with Meg and her family even if murder is the result. The new characters are interesting as well. They could have used a little more development, but I could easily keep everyone straight.

While not up to the usual standards for this series, this is still a book well worth reading. It's a fast moving mystery that will keep you entertained from start to finish.